Feed mechanism for machines for applying stay-strips.



PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

w.- L. PETERSON. FEED MEGHANISM'FOR MACHINES FOR APPLYING ,STAY STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1908.

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PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.. w. L. PETERSON. v FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR APPLYING STAY STRIPS.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. PETERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN METAL EDGE BOX COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR APPLYING STAY-STRIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907.

Application filed May 18, 1906. Serial No. 317,649.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feed Mechanism for Machines for Applying Stay-Strips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for applying metal stay-strips, for example to the corners of paper boxes, to hold the meeting ends of the walls of the box together and impart strength and rigidity thereto. A suitable and preferred type of such metal strip is disclosed in the Letters Patent of Saltzkorn- & Nicolai, 649,761, dated May 15, 1900.

In the general type of machine to which my invention is more particularly adapted, the stay-strip is fed in between a movable knife-carrying pressure element, termed a die, and a stationary rest element, termed an anvil, the operative faces of which conform to the contour of the corner of the box to which the stay is to be applied. The strip is fed in between said elements and the knife-carrying die member is caused to cut off the required length of strip and apply the same to the box corner. To treat boxes the walls of which are of different depth, it has been the practice to adjust the die and the throat through which the strip is fed relatively to the anvil, to dispose the strip-cutting knife associated with the die a distance from the front of the anvil (against which the bottom of the box is fitted when the box corner is disposed thereon) equal to the depth of the walls of the box.

The object of the present invention is to improve the feed mechanism for feeding a continuous strip of material to the element which cut off desired lengths thereof and apply the same to the boxes, and said invention is characterized broadly by the fact that the adjustment of the die with relation to the anvil results automatically in a corresponding adjustment of stroke of the feed mechanism, to feed the required length of strip to be cut-off and applied by the die.

Since my invention concerns the feed mechanism, only so much of a machine for applying the stay-strip as is necessary to an understanding thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in mechanism possessing means to cause the characteristic mode of operation above referred to and as hereinafter described.

What I regard as new will be set forth in the clauses of claim appended to the description.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated that which I consider the best known embodiment of my invention. Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is an end View; and Fig. 3 is a view showing the feed fork in elevation.

Referring to said drawing, and premising that when the term box or box corner is used, such term is illustrative merely and is not intended to restrict the machine to that particular use, as I desire to claim my invention for all the uses of which it is capable,the reference numeral 1 designates a frame element or support which may be of any suitable form or material and ser ves to support the working mechanism; 2 designates a rod, receiving motion from a part of the machine (not shown). Connected to this rod is a lever 3, shown as a bell-crank or two-armed oscillating lever, journaled as at 4 to the frame 1; and the arm 3 of which swings through a definite arc. Connected thereto by means, as shown, of a pin 5 playing in a slot 5 in the lever arm 3 is a slotted pendulum lever 6, journaled on a stud 7 from the frame of the machine, which lever 6 is caused to swing, the lower end describing a definite arc determined by the oscillation of the arm 3 of lever 3. Disposed in the slot 6 of the pendulum lever 6 is a slide 8 to which is connected the endof a pitman 9, the connection preferably being by providing the head of the pitman 9 with yoke-arms 10 straddling the lever 6 and fitted upon studs 11 projecting from the slide 8. The pitman is connected at its opposite end to a feed fork 12 pivotally hung from a bracket 13 secured to the machine frame.

The feed-fork straddles the throat or guide 14 connected to the die D and through which the stay-strip is fed; and combined with said fork to be reciprocated thereby is a dog 26 supported on a carrier 27 with which the feed fork engages. The dog engages the stay-strip in its forward travel and feeds it forward through the throat and between the die D and anvil A. The reverse stroke of the dog is idle and to avoid possibility of the strip being dragged back during this idle stroke a holding dog 28 is provided, preferably adjacent the discharge end of the throat.

According to my invention the amount of strip fed is dependent upon and equal to the stroke of the feed fork, and by adjusting the amplitude of the feed stroke the precise amount of feed desired may be accomplished. The die and the feed fork are connected so that upon adjustment of the die the length of stroke of the feed fork is regulated accordingly.

In the preferred embodiment of invention illustrated, an arm 15 movably arranged in aguide-box 16, is connected to the die D by means of the throat 14 which is clamped in a block 17 connected to said arm 15 as by means of screws 18. One arm 2O of rock lever 20 journaled on a stud 21 of the machine frame is connected to the arm 15 and the other arm 20' of said lever is connected by links 22 to the slide 8. It will be apparent that the slide 8 may, by adjustment of the die D, be positioned in the slot 6* of the pendulum lever 6 at any desired distance from the center of movement thereof about the trunnion '7.

The position of the slide, to which the pitman 9 is connected, determines the length. of stroke, of the feed fork 12 and consequently the length of strip fed at each operation. The rock lever 20 is loosely connected to the arm 15 to permit the latter to be moved in the guide box in a rectilinear line, the connection shown preferably being by means of a pin 23 having a squared end 24 disposed in a slot 25 in thearm. When the die is moved in one direction the lever 20 is rocked and through the medium of links 22 moves the slide 8 away from the center of movement of the pendulum lever G, to increase the stroke of the feed fork, and when moved in the opposite direction said slide is carried nearer to the trunnion 7 shortening the stroke of said fork.

The die D may be held in any desired position of adjustment in its cross-head O in any suitable manner, for example by means of set screw 19.

According to my invention the stroke of the Iced fork may be lengthened or shortened by adjustment of the strip applying die to feed just the required amount of strip, and such stroke is exactly equal to the amount of strip required to be fed.

In prior machines of the class to which this invention relates where the feed of the stay strip has been regulated by the adjustment of the stay applying die, aside from the fact that the mechanism for effecting the adjustment of the feed by the adjustment of the die is materially improved by my invention, there is this very important and characteristic difference, namely, in the prior arrangements, the stroke of the feed mechanism has always been maximum, means being interposed to make the active stroke of the feed mechanism partly inoperative and useless and partly operative,- whether a short length of strip was to be fed, or a long length, the feed stroke of the feed mechanism was always the same, entailing the same amount of work and the same wear and tear on the mechanism when a short length is desired as when a maximum length was desired. In contradistinction, according to my invention, by adjustment of the die, the feed stroke of the feed mechanism is made equal to and only equal to and not in excess of the length of strip which it is desired shall be fed, reducing the energy required in the work and thus materially reducing the wear and tear on the elements of the machine, and particularly the feed pawl carrier.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 1. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combination with an adjustable stay-applying die, stay-feeding mechanism independent of said die, adjustable means for operating the feeding mechanism, and means operated by the adjustment of the die but remote therefrom for causing the feedmechanism operating-means to impart a feed stroke equal to the length of stay to be fed.

2. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combination with an adjustable stay-applying die and stayfeeding mechanism, of feed controlling connections be tween said die and feed-mechanism comprising elements adjustably connected together and the relation of which is governed by the position of the die, and means independent of said die, for actuating said stay-feeding mechanism.

3. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combination with an adjustable stay-applying die, stay-feeding mechanism comprising reciprocating strip-engaging means, a lever for reciprocating the same, and connections be tween said die and lover, comprising elements adjustably connected together and the relation of which is governed by the position of the die.

4. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combination with an adjustable stay-applying die, of stay feedmechanism comprising a swinging lever, strip engaging means having adjustable connection with said lever, means for swinging said lever, and means connected with and operated by the adjustment of said die for adjusting the connection of the strip engaging means with the swinging lever.

5. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combi nation with an adjustable stay-applying die, of stay feedmechanism comprising a swinging lever, strip engaging means having adjustable connection with said lever, means for swinging said lever, and a rock-lever-aud-link mechanism operated by adjustment of said die for adjusting the connection between the stripengaging means and the swinging lever.

G, In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combination with an, adjustable stay-applying die, of stay feedmechanism comprising a slotted swinging lever, means for swinging said lever, a slide movable in the slot of said lever, strip engaging means connected with said slide, and a rock-leve1'and-linl connection between said die and slide for adjusting the position of the latter in the slotted lever.

T. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combination with an adjustable die, a stay-strip throat connected to said die, a movable arm having connection with said throat, staystrip feedingmechanism comprising a slotted swinging lever, means for swinging said lever, a slide movable in the slot of said lever, strip engaging means connected with said slide, a rock lever connected to the movable arm, and a link connected to said rock-lever and said slide.

8. In a machine for applying stays to boxes, the combi nation of oscillatory lever 3, slotted swinging lever G pivoted thereto, slide 8 in the slot of said lever, feed fork 12. feed pawl 26, pitman 1), connecting said slide 8 and fork 12. die I), throat 14, connected there with, arm 15, rock lever 20 connected to said arm and links 22 connect ing said lever 20 and slide 8, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM L. PETERSON.

Witnesses Gnonen H. LANE, EDWIN W. Pn'rnnsoiv. 

